Chapter 168: Xie Xian's Dowry
Yuan Shi stepped into Sheng Residence and felt momentarily dazed.
The Xie family was like a collapsing mansion, yet Sheng Residence remained as peaceful and serene as before, as if nothing had happened.
Maids and elderly servants bustled about, each attending to their duties. Her daughter-in-law sat in the flower hall drinking tea, her face revealing no emotion.
"Chu'er."
Yuan Shi entered the flower hall and sighed.
"Everyone in the capital knows what happened to the entire He family when Patriarch He took silver he shouldn't have, so I won't elaborate," Yun Chu began. "What Xie Jingyu did not only tramples on his own conscience but also shows he holds no regard for the lives of everyone in the Xie family... After committing such an act, does he really think the Yun family would plead for him? Is that possible?"
Yuan Shi's hands turned ice-cold.
In the past, Chu'er used to call Jingyu "husband."
But now, with Jingyu in trouble, she addressed her own husband by his full name without any affection.
"Jingyu did this for the sake of everyone in the family," Yuan Shi murmured. "He did it to maintain your dignity as his wife, to ensure you could live in luxury, to..."
Yun Chu picked up her teacup: "I can't intervene in this matter. Ting Xue, see Madam out."
Before Yuan Shi could even begin to voice all the words she had prepared, Ting Xue escorted her out.
Standing at the entrance of Sheng Residence, gazing at Yun Chu's figure in the distance, she suddenly felt as if she no longer recognized this daughter-in-law.
Yun Chu simply didn't care.
She instructed Ting Xue and Ting Feng to thoroughly inventory everything in the storage room. What belonged to her, she would take every single item without exception.
She was temporarily in charge of Old Madam's storage room, but she had no intention of taking those things. Firstly, she looked down on them, and secondly, they made her uncomfortable.
If left to the Xie family, they would likely immediately use them to bribe the guards at the gate to curry favor...
Yun Chu paused and said: "Ting Xue, go ask Jiang Yiniang to come here."
Ting Xue nodded and immediately went to find Jiang Yiniang.
Since Xie Jingyu fell ill, Jiang Yiniang and Ting Yu had been taking turns nursing him, and both had grown noticeably thinner from exhaustion.
"Greetings, Madam."
Jiang Yiniang bowed her head in salute.
"Sit," Yun Chu said gently, even having tea served.
Having just heard that Madam had been rebuffed here, Jiang Yiniang found Madam's pleasant demeanor toward her somewhat unsettling.
"How has Xian Jie'er been lately?" Yun Chu asked.
"Besides her studies, Xian Jie'er has been learning embroidery. But since the master fell ill, I haven't been able to spend as much time with her, so I'm not sure how she's progressing."
Yun Chu nodded: "Xian Jie'er is a good child. I have some things here for you to keep for her. Consider it her dowry in advance."
Jiang Yiniang was completely stunned.
When the eldest young lady married—and to a prince at that—Madam hadn't contributed even a sliver to the dowry.
Her Xian Jie'er was still so young, with more than ten years until marriage. Why would Madam prepare a dowry so early...
Ting Xue presented a box. It was quite large, much bigger than an ordinary dressing case. When Ting Xue lifted the lid and Jiang Yiniang saw what was inside, she was stunned once again.Inside were all pieces of jewelry she recognized—a gold and jade hair set that the master had gifted Old Madam after his promotion, another set Old Madam wore during her birthday celebration, along with hairpins, hair clasps, earrings, pearl chains, bracelets... all treasures Old Madam had accumulated over the years. While not priceless, they were worth at least three to five thousand taels of silver—an unimaginable fortune for a concubine like her.
The mistress had actually taken all these out to give to her Xian Jie'er.
"Madam, this... this..."
Yun Chu spoke: "If you don't accept them, these items will fall into the hands of those guards and jailers."
Jiang Yiniang's hands trembled slightly: "Madam, may this humble one ask why?"
Yun Chu smiled.
Why indeed.
It was because in her previous life, just before her death, only Xian Jie'er had clung to her weeping bitterly, knocking over the bowl containing poison.
It was Xian Jie'er who made her understand that it wasn't her parenting methods that were wrong—it was that some people were rotten to the core, and no matter how they were taught, they would remain selfish, cold-blooded monsters.
"Keep these things hidden from others." Yun Chu looked at her and said, "Guard your true heart well, and raise Xian Jie'er properly."
Jiang Yiniang's voice quivered: "Madam... is Madam planning to leave the Xie family?"
Yun Chu didn't answer.
But the answer was already clear.
Jiang Yiniang carried the box away from Sheng Residence and returned to her own courtyard. She called Xie Xian over, opened the box, and said softly: "This is the dowry Madam has prepared for you. No matter what happens to the Xie family in the future, no matter what predicament your father falls into, with what Madam has prepared for you, you'll never live too poorly."
Xie Xian seemed to understand yet not fully: "Mother cares for me deeply, I'll remember that."
"This is our mother and daughter's greatest secret—don't tell anyone." Jiang Yiniang embraced her daughter, "You must remember, no matter where life takes you, always remember Madam's kindness. If you ever have the ability, and if Madam happens to need help, you must spare no effort."
Xie Xian nodded vigorously.
Yun Chu sent Qiutong out to gather information.
Qiutong possessed martial skills, while those guarding the Xie residence gates were merely low-ranking soldiers. She left the Xie residence effortlessly, walked around the streets, then returned to report to Yun Chu.
"Madam, everyone in the streets and teahouses is discussing the Xie family affairs. They say the Xie family married the descendant of a convicted official, that the Xie eldest young master deceived the emperor, that Lord Xie engaged in corruption and perverted justice. Everyone is watching the Xie family's downfall with amusement."
Yun Chu raised her eyes: "And what do they say about the Xie family matriarch?"
"They all say the Xie family matriarch is pitiful, having been terribly deceived by the Xie family." Qiutong chose her words carefully, "Everyone is discussing whether the Yun family will take this opportunity to seek divorce from the Xie family."
Ting Feng nodded: "Madam, quickly seek divorce. Staying in the Xie family is truly unlucky."
Ting Xue added: "The Xie family members are wicked and ungrateful, corrupt and unjust, deceiving the emperor. Madam seeking divorce is what the people desire."
Yun Chu shook her head.
Currently, the common people all pitied her.
But if she truly sought divorce at this moment, then in the eyes of the common people, the Xie family would become the disadvantaged party, while the Yun family would be seen as kicking someone when they're down.
The common people's perspective on matters was like grass atop a wall—it would change direction with every wind that blew.
She spoke: "It's not yet time."
Her courtyard was still under renovation—waiting a while longer wouldn't hurt.Most importantly, she still needed to bid Xie Jingyu a final farewell...
As evening fell, the servants brought the meal. Even though the Xie family had declined to such an extent, Yun Chu's provisions remained unchanged.
After finishing her meal, she had the servants prepare her bath. Draped in a gauzy robe, she reclined on the bed reading.
Suddenly, she thought she heard a noise and called out, "Qiutong, go see what's happening outside."
She feared the guards stationed outside might take advantage of the darkness to sneak into the Xie residence and engage in some unsavory business.
No sooner had Qiutong stepped out than Yun Chu heard a sound from the window.
She immediately rose from the bed, swiftly throwing her outer garment over her shoulders while retrieving the short sword from beneath her pillow.
Just as she completed these movements, a tall figure leaped through the window frame...
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